Susan is a founding partner of Cornicello, Tendler & Baumel-Cornicello, whose practice concentrates exclusively on real estate. As a lifelong New Yorker, business owner, and property owner, she has a deep understanding of the city’s real estate market. Combined with her 35+ years of legal experience, Susan is well-positioned to protect her clients’ interests. Whether she’s representing the Talmudic scholar in Brooklyn or the Queens mechanic who has built a thriving real estate portfolio, Susan understands her clients’ legal issues and gives honest assessments of disputes. Her sweet spot is counseling clients with 20-100-unit buildings, but she has advised clients whose buildings range from three units to housing complexes with more than 3,000 units.
Susan takes great pride in representing landlords in administrative matters regarding rent regulation, such as rent stabilization coverage issues, overcharge complaints, MCI applications, substantial rehabilitation applications, and demolition applications as well as in strategizing and litigating holdovers and non-payments in both commercial and residential disputes.
Susan remains current with the ever-changing real estate landscape and has performed hundreds of due diligence reviews for potential purchasers of buildings in New York City. Susan regularly uncovers potential overcharge liability and improperly deregulated apartments and works with owners and agents in recalculating rents, minimizing overcharge liability, and amending registration statements.
She has handled dozens of appeals during her career, successfully arguing before the Appellate Divisions in the First and Second Departments and Appellate Terms in the First and Second Department.
Susan is committed to providing pro bono services — she routinely represents not-for-profits at DHCR and in landlord-tenant disputes, providing legal advice as needed.
Susan has spoken on various panels addressing today’s landlord-tenant landscape.
Education
J.D., St. John’s University School of Law, 1988
B.A. Economics and Political Science, SUNY Stony Brook, 1984
Court Admissions
New York State
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Notable Decisions
BLF Realty Holding Corp. v. Kasher, 299 A.D.2d 87, 747 N.Y.S.2d 457 (1st Dept. 2002), leave to appeal dismissed 100 N.Y.2d 535 (2003) reverse summary judgment granted determining that the doctrine of in pari materia required the finding that a profiteering loft tenant may be evicted.
679-81 108th Realty LLC v. Paul Zaroogian, 86 Misc3d 126(A)(AT2 2025), reverse summary judgment granted awarding summary judgment to the landlord on an expiration of lease holdover wherein the tenant alleged improper deregulation and discrimination based upon disability.
Gramercy Realty LLC v. Vasiljevic, 85 Misc3d 143(A), 231 NYS3d 899 (AT1 2025), use and occupancy awarded to landlord during stay of proceedings pending DHCR determination of overcharge complaint pursuant to CPLR §2201.
East West Renovating v. DHCR, 16 A.D.3d 166 (1st Dept. 2005) DHCR may consider events prior to a four-year period for purposes of determining coverage.
Georgia Properties v. Draper, 94 NY2d 809 (1999) a tenant’s waiver of rent regulated rights is void.
Vanech v. City of New York, 285 AD2d 367 (1st Dept. 2001) the In Rem Foreclosure Release Board acted without a rational basis when it refused to return a building to the Plaintiff on the ground that taxes were due.
Rivietz v. Wolohojian, 38 AD3d 301 (1st Dept. 2007) no fraudulent concealment was found where Plaintiff did not set forth allegations or evidence that false representations or acts of concealment induced her to sign a purchase contract
220-52 Assoc. v. Edelman, 18 AD3d 313 (1st Dept. 2005) partners can agree to an unequal division of income notwithstanding equal equity interests.
Various Tenants of 123 Guernsey St. v. DHCR, 19 AD3d 503 (2nd Dept. 2005) affirming the finding of the lower court that a building was exempt by reason of a substantial rehabilitation.